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Prime Minister Jean Castex has confirmed the reinforced curfew from 6 p.m. applied to all of France, from Saturday January 16 and for a minimum of 15 days.

As every week, on January 14, 2021, Prime Minister Jean Castex spoke at a press conference, along with several ministers, in order to take stock of the epidemic situation. Several announcements were made on this occasion, while the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus stagnated at a high plateau, in mid-January, and that the English and South African variants are present in France, and monitored by the health authorities.

Curfew at 6 p.m.

Since the beginning of January 2021, several departments in a situation of tension have been facing an extended curfew to 6 p.m. It seemed more and more obvious that this measure was going to be extended to the whole territory, the government having it suggests during the day.

The Prime Minister officially confirmed the national adoption of this general curfew at 6 p.m., from Saturday January 16, for at least 15 days.

This choice stems from the observation made by the government that the increase in new cases in the departments where this curfew applies is two to three times lower than in the other departments. ” This curfew logic obeys a preventive logic. It allows us to graduate our response and aims to limit social contact at the end of the day. », Said Jean Castex to explain the strategy. It will not be possible to go out after 6 p.m. for personal reasons, but the usual exceptions will arise through certificates.

All places or businesses open to the public will also be closed from 6 p.m. In order to avoid the concentration of customers during working hours, Jean Castex wants shops to open more during lunch hours, as well as at weekends, including with exceptions for Sundays.

As for the possibility of a reconfinement, the Prime Minister estimated that the health situation does not lend itself to it yet, relative to the human cost of such a device. On the other hand, in the event of ” strong epidemic degradation “, A new confinement will be decided.

What about schools?

Schools are a subject of debate between epidemiological and political considerations. In several countries where the indicators are at their highest, such as the United Kingdom, the decision has been taken to close schools – the variant being overall more contagious. In France, they remain open, a choice that Olivier Véran justified by the opinions of the Scientific Council, and even of the French Pediatric Society. The Prime Minister, for his part, went on to stress the social problem that such a closure would pose. ” We want to do everything To avoid a closure.

The protocol will however be strengthened:

• Reinforcement of precautions in school canteens: students in the same class will have to eat together, and the take-out meal solution can be chosen on a case-by-case basis;
• School and extracurricular physical activities will be suspended;
• Screening capacities will be increased (more than a million per month).

Hybrid operation (distance / presence) is maintained beyond January 20 for high schools. Regarding colleges, the hybrid mode can always be chosen on a case-by-case basis, while remaining “ exceptional According to the Minister of Education.

Border measures

The conditions for entry into France will be strengthened. All travelers wishing to enter France from a country outside the EU, whether by plane or boat, will need to take a PCR test.

The epidemic situation

« The virus continues to circulate actively, all over Europe “, Recalled Jean Castex, indicating that France has been affected” violently By the second wave. The end of year celebrations were however passed without an epidemic outbreak thanks to what Jean Castex calls a ” responsible behavior “. The epidemic situation in France remains high, although relatively stable. The figures fluctuate around 16,000 contaminations per day; and 24,000 people hospitalized. The virus is therefore actively circulating on French territory.

The momentum is now strongest in the west of France.

The Minister of Health Olivier Véran, for his part, addressed the issue of variants, resulting from mutations of the coronavirus. ” The entire scientific community is mobilized to hunt down this variant wherever it can be. “, He clarified about the VOC2020 variant, known as the English variant. Devices are in place to better monitor these variants.

The vaccination campaign

Jean Castex indicated that the vaccination campaign would accelerate: from the end of January, the stage of one million vaccinated people will be crossed. From Monday, January 18, vaccination will be open to people aged 75 and over; and people with one of the pathologies (cancer, Down’s syndrome, etc.) leading to a risk of a serious form of the disease, which represents 800,000 French women and men.

In total, 6.4 million people are called upon to be vaccinated in France from Monday.

From January 15, 2021, it will be possible to make an appointment online (sante.fr) or by telephone to the vaccination centers. ” Not everyone will be able to find an immediate appointment ”, However recalled the Prime Minister while specifying that all the countries of the world depend on deliveries.

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